NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Mollie Marcoux Samaan, the new LPGA commissioner, recognizes that she has inherited a wonderful situation, but she still believes there is room for improvement.
she said at an early Friday morning press briefing at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples. “”It’s a very special organization with global expansion potential,” she remarked.
While the majority of the hour-long discussion focused on next year’s record-breaking itinerary, as well as the importance of the tour’s brand and collaborations, Marcoux Samaan also divulged a few other noteworthy details.
One of them has to do with gambling. With the PGA Tour going all-in on sports betting this year, it only makes sense for the LPGA, which continues to expand in popularity, to do the same. Marcoux Samaan remained tight-lipped about the facts, but she appeared to be on board.
“I believe it’s a great interesting opportunity for people to get to know, follow, and be engaged with our guys once again,” she added. “When there’s something on the line, they’re always more interested in the material, so I think we’ll be able to reveal some very interesting things we’ll be doing in the coming weeks.”
The other is a mixed competition between the LPGA and the PGA Tour, which golf fans have been begging for. “I’m 100 percent behind it,” Marcoux Samaan stated.
“I believe that everyone would enjoy seeing men and women play together,” she remarked. “As you all know, people have experimented with many concepts for years. There are various obstacles and tasks to overcome. We’re all for it, and I believe there are discussions now with a number of parties to see how we can make that happen. I believe that everyone, both men and women, agrees that bringing together the top athletes in the world at one moment would be fantastic… and there are some promising developments on that front.”
